This invention relates to a child restraining device that is inexpensive and can be used with most general use shopping carts.
One of the problems inherent in the use of child restraint seats of various design and more particularly, in restraining children from standing or dangerously leaning over the side of shopping carts, is that of adequately restraining the child in the seating position for which the shopping cart was designed. Conventional shopping carts are usually designed with a seating area for children, which seating area is defined by parallel side grids and parallel front and rear grids, with leg openings provided in the front grid for receiving the child in seating position facing the operator of the shopping cart. However, there is usually no restraint system provided in shopping carts to maintain the child in this seated position and while the operator is shopping, or while his or her attention is diverted to other things, the child may easily stand or lean over the side of the shopping cart and fall from the seating area to the floor. This is particularly true of active children that must be watched at all times. Some shopping carts are fitted with a single seat belt attachment which is similar to the seat belt in an automobile and has a conventional buckle for strapping the belt over the lap of the child. However, many children, and particularly those who are active, are able to quickly and easily extricate themselves from the seat belt and risk falling over the side of the shopping cart as if the seat belt were not in place.
To resolve the above problem it has been common in the art to develop a variety of special seats which use seat belt type strap arrangements. The problems with these are several fold. First, the straps are often gangling, unsightly, get twists, and are easily soiled. As a result, parents frequently simply ignore the straps and do not secure the child.
Moreover, units that use separate infant seats, much like those used in cars, are so expensive as to be impractical for the stores to purchase and provide. As a result, many simply resort to the shopping cart built-in seat without any restraint system.
This is potentially dangerous. Current literature reports that there are more than an estimated 20,000 children under age 5 injured by shopping carts each year. In addition, children 3 and younger account for the majority of these shopping cart injuries. Those children of such tender age are the ones that especially need successful restraint.
It is common knowledge that children can suffer cuts, bruises, fractures, concussions, and even internal injuries when the jump or fall from a shopping cart. They also can get pinched in the folding mechanism or they can fall against the cart itself, especially if they are hit by another cart. Falls from shopping carts are among the leading causes of head injuries in young children. As a result, there is a continuing need which must balance practical economics and safety. It must be done by a cart that is user friendly, which has a restraining device that is appealing to use but one which is child proof and one which doesn't cost a fortune to make.
The present invention has as its primary objective the provision of a cart which avoids the use of straps and avoids the use of cumbersome expensive seats.